PSL 2021: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman retained by Karachi and Qalandars as franchises release players’ list

• Islamabad United trades Colin Ingram for Alex Hales from Karachi Kings
• Fakhar Zaman continues to be part of Lahore Qalandars
• Peshawar Zalmi only retained five players release rest

LAHORE: Pakistan team skipper Babar Azam and vice captain Shadab Khan have been retained by Karachi Kings (KK) and Islamabad United (IU) respectively as the franchises completed their retentions a day before the PSL draft.

The most notable retention was of Fakhar Zaman of Lahore Qalandars (LQ), as the player had earlier announced that he was parting ways with the side. In fact the franchise has also named the opening batsman as its brand ambassador.

Read more: PCB announces schedule for PSL 2021; first match to be played in Karachi

On the other hand, defending champions Karachi Kings and Islamabad United completed the successful trade of Englishman Alex Hales and South African Colin Ingram.

The only trade that was done this year means that Karachi will take Islamabad’s pick in the first round of the diamond category. While the IU will make their only diamond pick in the second round.

"As per the event rules, five sides have consumed their allocation of retaining up to eight players except Peshawar Zalmi, which have retained five players," said the Pakistan Cricket Board in a press release on Saturday.

Read more: PCB announces 25 foreign players for Platinum category

Here's a look at who the teams retained, released and traded:

Players retained

Lahore Qalandars

Ben Dunk (gold); David Wiese (diamond); Dilbar Hussain (gold); Fakhar Zaman (diamond, brand ambassador); Haris Rauf (diamond); Mohammad Hafeez; Shaheen Shah Afridi (both platinum) and Sohail Akhtar (silver, successful relegation request)

Islamabad United

Alex Hales (Platinum; traded from Karachi Kings); Asif Ali (gold); Colin Munro (diamond); Faheem Ashraf (diamond); Hussain Talat (gold, brand ambassador); Musa Khan (silver, successful relegation request); Shadab Khan (platinum); Zafar Gohar (silver, successful relegation request)

Read more: Lahore Qalandars, Fakhar Zaman part ways ahead of PSL 6

Karachi Kings

Amir Yamin (gold); Arshad Iqbal (emerging); Babar Azam (platinum); Colin Ingram (platinum, traded from Islamabad United); Imad Wasim (diamond, successful relation request); Mohammad Amir (platinum); Sharjeel Khan gold) and Waqas Maqsood (silver, brand ambassador)

Multan Sultans

Shahid Afridi (platinum), Imran Tahir (diamond, mentor); James Vince (gold); Khushdil Shah (diamond); Rilee Rossouw (platinum); Shan Masood (gold, successful relegation request); Sohail Tanvir (Diamond, brand ambassador); Usman Qadir (gold)

Peshawar Zalmi

Haider Ali (gold); Kamran Akmal (diamond, successful relegation request); Liam Livingstone (gold); Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz (both platinum)

Quetta Gladiators

Anwar Ali (silver, successful relegation request); Azam Khan (gold); Ben Cutting (diamond); Mohammad Hasnain (diamond); Mohammad Nawaz (diamond); Naseem Shah (gold); Sarfaraz Ahmed (platinum) and Zahid Mahmood (silver, brand ambassador)

Players released

Islamabad United

Ahmer Safi Abdullah, Akif Javed, Amad Butt, Dale Steyn, Luke Ronchi (unavailable due to coaching duties in New Zealand), Phil Salt, Rassie van der Dussen, Rizwan Hussain, Rumman Raees and Saif Badar

Karachi Kings

Ali Khan, Awais Zia, Cameron Delport, Chadwick Walton, Chris Jordan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mitchell McCleneghan, Mohammad Rizwan, Umaid Asif, Umer Khan and Usama Mir

Lahore Qalandars

Abid Ali, Agha Salman, Chris Lynn, Dane Vilas, Dilbar Hussain, Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali, Maaz Khan, Mohammad Faizan, Salman Butt, Salman Irshad, Samit Patel, Seekkuge Prasanna and Usman Shinwari

Read more: Misbah ul Haq, Islamabad United part ways

Multan Sultans

Ali Shafiq, Asad Shafiq, Bilawal Bhatti, Fabian Allen, Junaid Khan, Moeen Ali, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Irfan, Ravi Bopara, Rohail Nazir, Wayne Madsen and Zeeshan Ashraf

Peshawar Zalmi

Aamir Ali, Adil Amin, Amir Khan, Carlos Brathwaite, Hammad Azam, Hassan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kieron Pollard, Lewis Gregory, Liam Dawson (unavailable), Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Sikandar Raza, Tom Banton, Umar Amin and Yasir Shah

Read more: Herschelle Gibbs named Karachi Kings head coach

Quetta Gladiators

Aarish Ali Khan, Abdul Nasir, Ahmed Shehzad, Ahsan Ali, Fawad Ahmad, Jason Roy (unavailable), Keemo Paul, Khurram Manzoor, Omair bin Yousuf, Shane Watson (retired), Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills (unavailable) and Umar Akmal (suspended).